Fire extinguisher



@et 7 1924. ,50,84i3

W. J. HAWKINS FIRE EXTINGUIHER Filed MarchV s1., 1921 s'll'1,111,111,111'lll'llllllllllllllllll :j 4., "11 lll/1 mvENToR outside of the brine container.

,ap ended.

Patent @et 7, i924;

"NETE ATS PTNF WILFORD J. HAWKINS, 0F NEW YORK,

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

Application led March 31, 1921. Serial No. 457242.

`New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire Extinguishers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in fire extinguishers.

In certain fire extinguishers heretofore known, the brine in the container is expelled by gas developed by the burning of a series of slow matches ignited by an igniting device when the extinguisher is turned upside down. ln these extingushers, the gas developing device is inbuilt with a long and otherwise cumbersome case attached to the The structure is complicated and expensive to manufacture and to reload, and premature operation will occur whenever the extinguisher is turned upside down, accidentally or care-` lessly, in or out of transportation.

The main object of the present invention is the production of an inexpensive device free from the defects inherent in such devices heretofore lmown.- In the best constructions, there 1s provided a simple and compact expeller projecting into the brine container and having a safety igniting device housed in its exposed or outer part, the latter being just large enough to serve as an ecient handle for the extinguisher; the enclosed part of the expeller has a powder chamber and one or more blow ports extending through its wall adjacent the container wall; and the igniting device includes a Sear-controlled spring-pressed firing pin adapted to ignite a primer and pellet in the mouth of the chamber and thereby ignite the main charge of powder in the chamber and blow the ports open. With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations which will hereinafter be fully described and then specically set forth in the claims hereunto of the above mentioned parts may be varied Widel in construction within lthe scope of the c aims, and the particular structure selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

In the accompanying drawing, the figure is a central sectional view, apartly broken away, of an extingulsher constructed in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawin 1 indicates a brine container of .the usua type, but provided with a reinforcing plate 2 brazed or otherwise secured to its rear head. The plate 2 is provided with a central threaded aperture 3.

A two-part expeller 4-5 is screwed into the threaded aperture 3, and projects vinto the brine container 1. rl"he enclosed part 4 of the expeller is provided with a powder chamber 6 loaded with a tight charge of compressed meal powder 7, or other gas developer. series of blow ports 8 extend through the expeller wall adjacent the container head. Theseports are normally closed by means of a s'eries of friction plugs 9 operating to keep the brine out of the expeller chamber. Just below the ports 8 and in the mouth of the chamber 6, is a black powder pellet 10; and just below the pellet is a primer 11.

rlhe enclosed part 4 and the outer or exposed part 5 of the expeller are screwed to ether at 12. Housed within the part 5 is a lgiring pin 13 of a well known type. rlihis pin is spring-pressed in the direction of the primer 11, the spring being marked 14. Normally, however, the spring is held under compression and thefiring pin under restraint by means of a spring-Cotter Sear 15 which passes transversely through suitable holes drilled in the firing pin and in the expeller parti 5. Attached to one end of the Sear is a loop 16 of twine by means of which the sear may be withdrawn when it is desired to operate the extinguisher.

Withdrawal of the Sear releases the firing pin and permits its spring to drive it against the primer which then ignites the pellet 10. The pellet, in turn, ignites the main charge 7 in the chamber 6 and simultaneously blows the friction plugs 9 out of the ports 8, thus permitting the gas developed by the main charge to blow through the ports into the container behind the brine and by its pressure expel thelatter.

lt is to be noted that the exposed part 5 of the expeller is just large enough to serve as an efficient handle for the extinguisher, and that until the Sear is intentionally withdrawn from engagement with the firing pin, premature operation of the ex- Below this powder charge, a

into said container and having in its enclosed' end a powder'chamber and a normally closed blow port Vextendingthroughits wall adjacent the container wall, and a safety igniting device including .a firing pin' and a spring-Cotter searvhoused in the exposed end oi said expeller.

2. In a fire extinguisher, the combination l" with a' container, of an expeller removably projecting into said container andfhavingr in its 'enclosediendg a ipowder chamber and a blowfport yextending through its wall adjacent the container wall, a friction plug normally closing said port, and a safety ignitingdevice housed in the exposedend of said expeller.

3; In a yire extinguisher, thecombination with a container, of a thread-connected twopart expeller projecting intoy said container,

the enclosed part being screwed into the wall of said container and having a powderchamber and a series of blow ports extending through wally adjacent the container wall, a series of friction plugs normally yclosing said orts, and a safety yscar-controlled igniting evice housed in the exposed part of said expeller. Y

4. In a fire extinguisher, the combination with a container, of a two-part expeller projecting into said container, the enclosed part being screwed into the wall of said container and having a powder chamber and a series of blow ports extending through its wall adjacent the container wall, a series of friction plugs normally closing said ports, a springpressed firing pin housed in the exposed part of said expeller and adapted to ignite a f Cotter sear primer and pellet in the mouth of said chamber, and a spring-cotter sear passing trans f verselyjthrough said firing pin and the exf posed part offsaid expeller, the latter being screwed into the enclosed part of said ex-r compressed meal powderl in said chamber g above said f port, a safety igniting device housed in the exposed end of said expelle'r, and a primer and black powder pellet in the mouth of said chamber below said port.y

6. In a re extinguisher, the combination with a container, of a two-part expeller pro-y jecting into saidy container and having a eis,

ypowder chamberl and 'a series of blow ports extending through its wall adjacent the containery wall, a tight charge ofcompressed meal powder in said chamber above said ports, a series of friction plugs normally closing said ports, a springpressed firing pin housed in the exposed partof said ex' peller, a primer'and black powder pellet iny said chamber below said ports, and a s rin firing pin and the exposed part of ysaid expeller, the latter being screwed intothe en-y compact handle for the extinguisher.

7. In a fire extinguisher, `the combination with a container, oit' an expeller carried by said container and having a powder chamber and a normally closed blow port adapted to establish communication between said chamber and the interior of said container, and a safety igniting device including a firing pin and a spring-cotter sear in operative` connection with said chamber.

In testimony name to this specification.

I' WILFORD J. IIAWKINS.

passing transversely throng saldiy whereof, I have signed my yclosedy part of said expeller and forminga 

